End reinforcement for railroad box-cars



R. W. BURNETT.

END REINFORCEMENT FGR RAILROAD BOX CARS.

APPLICATlON FILED JULY 3,1919- Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

'5 1 50 I E m gww a z J6 453 a? 1 fl Rickard Ear/zed B. W. BURNETT.

END REINFORCEMENT FOR RAILROAD BOX CARS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, I9 I9- 1,397,674. PatentedNov. 22, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEETi. I. I A /l// \\\':J L W55 I x -Zfi Z9 z w Q Z6 17 I D Hfl Zj| ZZZ Z4 L R. W. BURNETT.

END REINFORCEMENT FOR RAILROAD BOX CARS.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1919.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921';

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RICHARD WEBB BURNETT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

END REINFORCEMENT FOR RAILROAD BOX-CARS.

Application filed July 3,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD Winn: Bun- NETT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in EndReinforcements for Railroad Box-Cars, of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in end reinforcement for railroadbox cars.

In the operation of railway cars, there are many thousands of wood boxcars now in service that are proving entirely inadequate for the severeconditions now being en countered, particularly with respect to the endsof the cars which are broken out or distorted becauseof the shifting ofthe load during transit. On account of the present high cost of newequipment, the railroads are not able, financially, to buy new cars,and, consequently, are forced to adopt expedients to repair or reinforcethe old wood cars.

Many such expedients have been attempted, particularly the substitution.of an all metal end for the old wood ends, these substituted metal endstaking a large variety of forms. Such metal ends, however, are quiteexpensive and entail an unnecessary loss on the part of the car owners,since the original wood ends are taken out and destroyed and theirstrength value not utilized. The cost of labor for applying such allmetal ends is also high. I

The ob 'ect of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivemethod of reinforcing the ends of wood box cars and whereby I utilizethe inherent strength of the old wood ends and brace the lattersufficiently to adequately withstandthe severe service conditions towhich the cars are subjected.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to providereinforcement for end walls of wood box cars wherein not only the endwall itself is utilized but also the strength of the side walls,particularly in the bracing of the upper portions of the end walls.

The invention, furthermore, consists in the improvements in parts anddevices and in the novel combinations of the parts and Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921..

1919. Serial No. 308,373.

larged horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 ofFig. 1. Fig. is a vertical sectional view, upon an enlarged scale,corresponding to the section line 3-3 of Fig. 1, parts being broken awayin order to better accommodate the view on the sheet. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal sectional view, parts being broken away, the sectioncorresponding to the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofa portion of the outer reinforcing members shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4,the reinforcing members being indicated as detached from the car and asthe same would be fabricated prior to application to the car. Fig. 6 isa view similar to Fig. 4: illustrating another embodiment of theinvention. Fig. 7 is another view in horizontal section taken centrallyof the end wall illustrating another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 8is a vertical sectional view corresponding substantially to Fig. 3illustrating another embodiment of the invention. Fig. 9 is a horizontalsectional view corresponding substantially to Fig. 4 illustrating astill further embodiment of the invention. Fig. 10 is a verticalsectional view taken substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9. And Fig.11 is an enlarged detail view illustrating a portion of the constructionshown in Fig. 4:.

In said drawings, and referring first to the construction illustrated inFigs. 1, 2, 3, 4i and 5, the end wall of the wood box car is shown asformed in the usual maner, comprising corner posts 20-20, diagonalbraces 21-21, end posts 2222, the latter differing somewhat from theusual practice, as hereinafter particularly described, usual outersheathing 23, usual inner sheathing 24, channel end sill 25, end plate26, end facia board 27 and roof 28. The side walls of the car are of theusual construction in that their upper portions are provided with theusual side plates 29-29. So-called end posts 22 are preferably formedeach with a central vertically extending steel bar 30 and side joists31-31 on each side thereof, said parts being bolted together so as toform a strong post and particularly well adapted to resist bendingstrains applied in a direction parallel to the length of the car. Thebox car isalso shown as provided with ah end door, indicated at 32,which may be of any well-known form, the same being indicateddiagrammatically in Fig. 1.

For reinforcing the end wall, I preferably employ the followingarrangementp Two vertically extending Z-bars, indicated gen erally bythe reference AA, are applied to the outer sheathing 23 preferablyparallel to the end posts 22-22. Said Z-bars A have their inner flanges33 bolted through the posts 22, inner; and outer sheathings2et and 28,and also the inner additional heavy lining 180. Said Z-bars extend fromthe top of the end sill to a point slightly above the lower edge of theend plate 26, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 3. 1 To obtain thebenefit of the strength of the end sill and underframe, the lower endsof the Z-bars A are anchored to the end sill by anchor castings,indicated generally by the reference B. Each of said anchor castings Bcomprises a horizontal web 34 riveted to'the upper flange of the endsill 25, a vertically extending flange 35 riveted to the web of theZ-bar, a transversely extending flange 36 extending behind the innerflange of the Z-bar and riv eted thereto, and a pa'irof inwardlyextending' spaced horizontal flanges 37-37, each of the latter having adownturned lip 38 engaging behind the end sill. The flanges 3737 arespaced so as to straddle the bar 30, which constitutes a portion of thecorresponding end posts. By employing the anchor castings B, constructedas above mentioned,it is evident that any outward endwise thrust on theZ-bars at their lower ends will be effectively resisted by the end sillto which the strain is communicated by means of the anchor castings 13.Furthermore, any tendency for transverse shifting or bending of eitherend post 22 or Z-bar A will be effectively resisted because of theconnection with the anchor casting B with the end sill and also becausesaid casting B straddles the bar 30. V v

To permit the Z bars to lie flat against the outersheathing 23throughouttheir entire length, the end 'facia board 27 may be cutaway-fer a short distance, as indicated at 39 39. To 'botlicOmbine thestren th of the zen-s themselves and. to seeurely unite tliii upper endswith the uppier portion of the end of the car, employ a combined bracingand tie member, indicated generally the reference C. This inenibetC isshown as Z shaped in vertical section, as clearly indicated in Fig. Theweb of said Z sectio'n' lies on top of the Z-bars and the outer flangethereof isturne'd downwardly to overlap the outer fiang'es'of the Z'bars he rivetedlthereto, as indicated at 40. The inner flange of themember e 'liesagainst the end facia board 27, extends upwardly and isbolted through said facia board 27 and the end plate 26. Preferably theupturned flange 41 is left longer than the downturned flange, whichoverlaps the Z-bars A, so as to provide for diagonal tension membershereinafter described.

To further brace the reinforcing n'iembers I may employ gussets betweenthe Z-bars A. and the downturned flange 140 of themember C, as clearlyindicated in Fig. these gussets obviously strengthening the fabricatedreinforcement against twisting or distortion.

By providing the cross member C, above described, it is evident that thetwo main Z-bar reinforcing members are rigid united at their upperends,'and, being rigidly united to the end sill 25 at their lower ends,a rectangular framework is, in effect, formed, so that the reinforcementnot only serves to prevent breaking out or bulging of the end wall, buteffectively prevents lat eral shifting or'weaving of the end wal ofthecar. The cross member C also serves an additional function in that itacts as a weather protection for the end door 32and thus minimizes thetendency of rain to pass through said end door to the interior of thecar.

To utilize the strength of theside walls of the car, I employ diagonallyarranged tension rods shown most clearly in Fig. 4. Each of thesetension rods 43 extends through the upwardly extending flange 4L1 of thecross member C, through the facia board. outer sheating and end plate26. At their inner ends, the tension rods 43 are anchored to the sideplates 29in any suitable manner.as, for instance. by the plate .44 andbolts 45. Because of the angular rela tion between the rods 43 and crossmember G, I preferably employ a special washer. shown most clearly inthe detail view of Fig; 11.2 Said washer 46, as thereshown. is ofsubstantially triangular shape. having one face 47 parallel to the endwall of the car and the other face 48 perpendicular to the axis of therod. To prevent twisting and also to prevent slip age of the washer 46,

the latter is provided withan inwardly ex tended lug 49 adapted toengage in a corresponding hole provided in the adjacent flange of thecross member C. To still further utilize the strength inherent in theend and side walls of the car, I employ corner gussets, as indicated at50 most clearly in Fig. 4. These gussets may be 'forgings or pressingsand are; bolted to the end plate and side plates, as clearly indicatedin Fig; 41, there preferably being outer washer plates, shown at 51,through whichthe bolts extend topre'vent the same from pulling threagnthe wood.

In order that any distortion of the superstructure of the car may occur.it is evident that one corner must become greater than a right angle,and it will be noted that the reinforcing arrangement which I have shownwill effectively prevent this. 'I he gussets 5O obviously tend toprevent such increase of angle at the corners and willeifectivelyprevent the angle becoming any less than Any tendency of thecorner angle to become greater than 90 is resisted by the tension rods43, so that there is an effective cooperation between the gussets 50 andthe ten sion rods I3 to prevent the distortion above indicated. This isadditional to the strength obtained from the side walls of the calagainst outward thrusts on the end wall of the car.

All of the parts utilized in the reinforcement are obviously inexpensiveto manufacture; the same may be readily applied to a car without anyradical or extensive changes to the car other than the mere boring ofholes; all parts of the original car are retained and their strengthutilized, thereby minimizing the cost of the reinforcement; and, inaddition to the end wall being reinforced against outwardly bulging, theentire super-structure of the car is reinforced against weaving ordistortion.

Referring next to the construction shown in Fig. 6, the same generalprinciples are employed, but instead of employing diagonal tension rods43, I employ a single strap, indicated by the reference D. This straphas diagonal portions 52 and central por tion 53 extending along theinner face of the end plate at the center of the latter, and endportions 54 where it is bolted to the side plates of the car. At thecentral portion 53 of the tension element, an angle iron 55 is employed,the connecting bolts passing through said angle iron 55, the strap D,the wood parts of the car and the outer cross member C.

In the construction illustrated in F ig. 7, the arrangement on the outerside of the end wall is the same as shown in previous fig-' ures, andfor the diagonal corner tension members, I employ rods 56 secured attheir outer ends in any suitable manner to the side plates of the carand provided at their inner ends with eyes 57 from which extend thebolts 58 passing through an inner plate 59, the wood parts of the walland the outer cross member C. The plate 59 obviously serves to preventspreading or separation of the eye bolts 58 and the rods 56.

In the construction shown in Fig 8, I have indicated the employment ofan angle iron E in lieu of the cross member C of 2 section Where anangle iron E is employed, one flange 60 thereof will extend over thetops of the vertical Z-bars and the other flange will be extendeddownwardly on the inner sides of the Z-bars and riveted to the innerflanges of the Z-bars, as indicated at 61.. It is obvious that thesecuring bolts through the end plate can be passed through the crossmember E at any point there-along and the wide securing area obtained inthe same manner as with the cross member C In the constructionillustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, I omit the diagonal tension members shownin the other figures and employ in stead a bracing bulb angle F whichextends entirely across the car and is bolted throughout its length tothe inner face of the end plate. At the ends of the angle F, gussets 62are employed riveted to the angle F and bolted to the adjacent portionsof the car corners. Said angle F is, of course, bolted through to thereinforcing elements at the center of the end wall so as to effectivelytie the latter to the super-structure of the car. One important featureof my construction will be apparent from an inspection of Fig. 3.Ordinarily, 4-inch Z-bars will be em ployed for the vertical members anda 3-inch Z-bar for the cross member C. By placing the cross member 0shown in Fig. 3, that is, with the outer flange thereof overlapping theflanges of the vertical Z-bars A, the inner face of the inner flange ofthe cross member 0 will be in a vertical plane substantially 1% inchesfrom the surface or. the

outer sheathing of the end wall. This will avoid the necessity ofcutting away or otherwise weakening the end facia board 27 since thelatter is, in actual practice, almost uniformly L} inches thick.

I claim:

1. In car construction, the combination with a box car having an endwall including intermediate end posts, outer wood sheathing, end sill,and end plate; of means for reinforcing said end wall comprising, Z-bars applied to the outside of said sheathing and extending between theend sill and the end facia board, means for anchoring the lower end ofeach Z-bar individually to the end sill, and a relatively short crossmember of Z-shape in cross section secured to and connecting the tops ofsaid Z-bars,one flange of said cross member being rigidly united withthe outer flanges of the Z-bars and the other flange of said crossmember being secured to the outer side of said facia board.

2. In car construction, the combination with a box car having an endwall including intermediate end posts, outer wood sheathing, end sill,and end plate; of means for reinforcing said end wall comprising,vertically extending Z-bars between the end sill and the end plate andapplied to the outside of said sheathing in alinement with saidintermediate end posts, and a relatively short cross member of Z-shapein cross section secured Cir to and connecting the tops of said Z-bars,one fiange of said cross member overlapping and being secured to theouter flanges ot the Z-bars, the other flange of said cross memher beingsecured to the outer side of the car end Wall. As an article'ot'manufacture, a fabricated reinforcement adapted for application to theoutside o'lan end Wall or a Wood box 7 car, said reinforcementcomprising: a pair of laterally spaced commercially rolled shapes eachof a length adapted to extend from the end sill to the end faciaboar-dot the box car end; a relatively short cross connecting piece atthe tops of said shapes, said cross connecting piece having ahorizontally extending Web, a downturned flange on the outer sideriveted to said shapes, and an upwardly extending flange on the innerside adapted to lie against the outer face of said 7 end facia board ofthe car, said last named ends of said Z-bars, said connecting piecebeing alsoofZ cross section and having one flange thereof extending overflanges of the Z-bars and riveted thereto, the other flange of saidcross piece extendingupwardly and adapted to lie against a portion ofthe car end Wall, said'pair of Z-bars being each of a length adapted toextend from the end sill to the end plate of a car end all and of :adepth greater than the depth of the cross piece correspondingsubstantially to the usual thickness of the end facia; and gussetssecured to the pair of Z bars and cross piece. I

5. In car construction, the combination with a box car having an endWall including Wood intermediate end postsfouter Wood sheathing,end-sill, end plate and end facia board; of means for reinforcing saidend Wall comprising, a pair of substantially vertically extendingreinforcing beams of flanged commercial shape applied to the outer sideof said Wall and extending between said end sill and end plate, aflanged relatively short cross member extending across the tops ofsaidshapes and united thereto, said cross member having a flange lyingagainst the outer side of the adjacent portions of the end wall, saidcross member being rigidly secured to said commercial shapes, andtension elements connected at their inner ends to the side plates of thecar at points remote from corners of the car, the opposite ends of saidtension elements being directly connected to said cross member andextending through said end plate and end facia board.

In itness that I claim the foregoing 1 havehereunto subscribed my namethis 1st day of July, 1919.

RICHARD WEBB BURNETT.

Witness: r i V 'Josnrrr HARRIS.

